The Bulgarian national under-21 team achieved a valuable first victory at the World Championship in Jiangmen, China. Ventsislav Simeonov's boys defeated Colombia 3:0 (31:29, 25:20, 25:21) and kept their chances for qualifying for the round of 16.
Match progression
The first set proved decisive and was extremely dramatic. Colombia started more confidently and led 4:1, and later 13:18. After a requested timeout, Bulgaria played more aggressively on serve, and an ace by Velichkov reduced the deficit to 17:19. Captain Kandez also raised his level and brought the team to a tie at 21:21. The set turned into a real battle with a series of set points for both teams, but in the end, our team snatched the victory 31:29 after a mistake by the Colombians in the middle.
In the next two parts, the young "lions" already controlled the initiative and with good organization in reception and attack, closed the match cleanly in three sets.
Individual performances
Velichkov was the most productive for Bulgaria with 16 points, followed by Kandez with 13. For Colombia, Ortiz scored the most with 15.
Match statistics
| Element | Bulgaria | Colombia |
|---|---|---|
| Attacks | 45 | 41 |
| Block | 6 | 6 |
| Serve (aces) | 6 | 2 |
| Opponent's errors | 24 | 21 |
| Total points | 81 | 70 |
Bulgaria won the match mainly due to its stronger serve (6 aces against only 2 for Colombia) and the higher number of points from opponent's errors. The attack was almost equal, and the block was absolutely even (6:6), which emphasizes that the serve proved to be the key element.
Team skills
| Element | Bulgaria | Colombia |
|---|---|---|
| Defensive digs | 46 | 40 |
| Reception | 63 | 67 |
| Setting | 88 | 86 |
The Bulgarian team showed better defense (46 digs against 40), which allowed for more counter-attacks. In reception, the Colombians had a slight advantage, but our team compensated with greater stability in setting.
Standings and upcoming matches
After this victory, Bulgaria has a record of 1 win, 2 losses, and 4 points, placing them fourth in Group C. Colombia remains last with no points. According to the regulations, the first four teams advance to the 1/8 finals, while the 5th and 6th placed teams will play for the distribution of places 17\u201321.
On August 24th, the championship has a rest day. Bulgaria will play its next match against the Czech Republic on August 25th at 06:00 AM Bulgarian time.
